Hi,
I'm looking for cheap flights from Rome to Tel Aviv. Anyone able to suggest good websites/airlines I might try? I'm running out of patience, everything looks very expensive or is only return. The cheapest quote I've found so far is GBP300. Maybe this is as good as it gets?

Anyone crossed the border from Syria into Turkey over land? If so, where/how was it?

Cheers,
Ash

Last edited by ash on Sun Sep 11, 2005 3:24 pm; edited 1 time in total

I've sinced sussed out flights, visa questions & worked out an itinerary so I think it's all good. For anyone else after this kind of info, there are a couple of good threads on the Thorn Tree LP forum:
http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com

while not having done the crossing myself, it seems there is a regular coach route across. damascus-istanbul and a variety of other turkish destinations are frequently advertised and many are regularly scheduled services. as such, there are unlikely to be any major obstacles or for that matter, any obstacles at all. a trainee of mine has just returned from istanbul by coach and didnt mention anything about the crossing so ... no news is good news.
regards
basil

I've decided to buy a one-way ticket into Amman, Jordan, and a ticket out of Istanbul.
We will travel overland from Amman into Jerusalem via the King Hussein Bridge.
In this way, we will have evidence that we have arrived in the ME via Jordan, not Israel. We will get our Israeli stamps on the magical invisible 'piece of paper', both on our way in & out. We will then head from Jordan to Syria, Syria to Lebanon, back to Syria & on to Turkey. From Turkey, we will have an onward ticket, thus satisfying the requirements of Israeli authorities.

How does that sound?

While we're (slightly) off-topic: Is it possible to cross from Lebanon direct into Turkey? Maybe I should ask this question somewhere else too...

lebanon and turkey do not share a common border but its still easy to cross between syria and lebanon and vice versa.
lebanon direct to turkey wud involve a flight or - by boat but im not sure whether the boat goes direct to turkey or whether you have to 'change' in cyprus. i'll ask if you wish.
regards
basil

Yeah that's what I was thinking. Then I'd have that whole difficult thing of crossing from the Greek side to the Turkish side, which is still difficult isn't it?

Thanks Basil, it's ok, I think we'll just go back into Syria & head to Turkey from there as per "the plan". So I take it you think my plan will work? Good. Lets just hope none of the border authorities are watching this forum...

Here's my penneth, (or cents) worth. I arrived at Ben Gurion Airport from Turkey, and they wouldn't stamp any 'invisible' pieces of paper. They stamped my passport, and consequently I had to replace my passport before I arrived for work in Egypt this year. I couldn't have got a work permit with Israeli visa stamps. Also be prepared for the grilling of your life when arriving in Jerusalem from Jordan. Israeli border security can be very 'thorough' when you arrive from Arab countries. Anyway good luck with your plans

Passed through a US airport lately? Not much different if one has too many Middle East stamps in the passport... and I'm talking about American expat teachers who get hassled during summer leave flights.